In the first game of CSM’s inaugural men’s lacrosse season, the Hawks scored 13 of their 42 shots on goal against Niagara Community College, N.Y., on March 9. The Hawks’ freshman goalkeeper, Rome Santos of Fort Washington, kept the visiting Thunder Wolves to four points.

“I think starting off the program with a win on a neutral field is a huge momentum boost,” said CSM Athletics Coordinator Nick Williams. “It was great to see some of the people who helped provide the funding we needed to launch men’s lacrosse present at the game cheering on the team. Starting off the program with a victory was huge. We are all very excited about the rest of the season.”

CSM launched lacrosse at the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) Division I level in Southern Maryland, with a men’s team this spring to be followed by a women’s team in spring 2015.

With lacrosse among the fastest-growing sports and few options for college-bound high school athletes to play locally, bringing lacrosse to CSM provides Southern Maryland students opportunities to continue academic and athletic careers close to home as they compete at the collegiate level.

The men’s lacrosse roster includes of players from Calvert, Huntingtown and Northern high schools in Calvert County, La Plata, McDonough, North Point and Thomas Stone high schools in Charles County, Leonardtown High School in St. Mary’s County, and Bishop McNamara High School in Washington, D.C.

The March 9 game was to be the first home game of the season for the Hawks, but poor field conditions moved the match to Anne Arundel Community College’s Astro Turf field. The first home game is scheduled for March 26 at CSM’s La Plata Campus against Delaware Technical College.

While college loan debt may not be inevitable, community colleges are able to offer lower tuitions, interest-free payment plans and a variety of scholarships which empowers students and their families to take control of costs and realize a college education without breaking the bank.

The College of Southern Maryland Foundation has more than 90 scholarships and $360,000 available in scholarship funds for the 2014-2015 academic year.

“It is important to the college that students who qualify for scholarships have the opportunity to graduate with an associate degree with little or no debt,” said CSM Director of Financial Assistance Christian Zimmermann. “With low tuition and opportunities for scholarships at CSM, community college students can work on transferring to complete their bachelor’s degree or begin working in their field without a mountain of student debt.”

To assist students in applying for CSM scholarships, the college uses the web service “Scholarship Finder” which matches information supplied by students to scholarships for which they are eligible.

Those applying for CSM scholarships must have a completed CSM admissions application and a 2014-15 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file. Some scholarships may require students to submit an essay or portfolio for review. There are many scholarships available for specific majors, such as arts, nursing, communication, business, mathematics, teacher education and technology. There are also funds available for general education majors and for returning adults.

Students can apply through Scholarship Finder through May 16 but are encouraged to apply as soon as possible for best consideration. The Scholarship Finder is available 24 hours a day up to the May 16 deadline, making it convenient for students to apply on their own time.

“Many of our students rely on scholarships in order to attend CSM. Since Scholarship Finder was introduced in 2009, we’ve seen a tremendous increase in applicants,” said Martina Arnold, CSM development director. “Our goal is to award every scholarship we have available in order to help our students reach their academic goals. These same scholarship recipients may become our region’s next educators, engineers and nurses to give back to our community tomorrow.”

To assist students and parents in financial planning for college, CSM offers Financial Aid TV which consists of short videos with many financial aid topics such as filling out the FAFSA, applying for financial aid, getting a student loan and education tax benefits as well as tips on saving money, credit cards and identity theft. To access Financial Aid TV, visit http://csmd.financialaidtv.com/.

News traveled fast that College of Southern Maryland Mail, Distribution and Fulfillment Services Coordinator Janice Love earned a big nod from her industry peers. While attending the 34th Annual Conference for MAILCOM, the world's largest education organization for mail communications, Love received the Master Certification in Mail Communications (MCOM) certification and the Certified Mail & Distribution System Manager (CMDSM) certification.

MCOM is awarded to mail industry professionals who have earned 10 certificates at MAILCOM. CMDSM certification is awarded by Mail Systems Management Association (MSMA), a professional trade association dedicated to the development and advancement of individuals in a wide array of industries supporting mail, communication and distribution channels.

“Normally only one certificate is earned per conference, but Janice has made the most of her time, learning about ways to make the college’s communications efficient and effective,” said CSM Senior Executive Director of Marketing Theresa Johnson, who added that since 1989 there are only about 300 mail managers who have earned their CMDSM credentials and only 25 industry professionals who have earned MCOM. “These types of national certifications take a lot of time and effort and I want to congratulate Janice on these distinctions.”

“The training I receive at MAILCOM has allowed me to stay abreast of mail industry changes to ensure that the college is in compliance with the latest [U.S. Postal Service] standards. Each step in a compliance effort is years in the making and represents an opportunity to realize cost-savings, streamline efficiencies and take a hard look at resource management,” said Love.

“As many [people] know, everything changes constantly with the U.S. Postal Service, especially in recent years, and the college’s Mail and Distribution Services Department is usually on the cutting edge of these changes thanks to Janice. She not only shares her understanding of new USPS developments with her staff, but is often advising and teaching others in the mail and distribution industry,” said Mail Operations Specialist Melba M. Fetty.

Love has worked for CSM for 14 years as the Mail, Distribution and Fulfillment Services Coordinator. She has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Frostburg State University.

“Ensuring that information on CSM’s programs and events reach the community is a top priority for me. Having the opportunity to identify target markets, drive direct mail campaigns and dovetail those efforts with e-mail marketing is a unique niche in the marketing world, one which I thoroughly enjoy. Being able to do so for CSM, an organization that is truly a community resource for everyone in the tri-county area, is an honor,” said Love.

“Janice’s zeal for efficiency saves the college time, energy, manpower and money—savings that are passed on to provide better services for our students,” said Vice President of Advancement Michelle Goodwin. “We are proud of Janice’s accomplishments and recognition from her peers. Her dedication to the college is an inspiration.”

MAILCOM is the world’s largest education organization for mail communications. Since 1982, executives and managers responsible for their organization’s mail, facilities and distribution services have made MAILCOM the top source for professional knowledge, development and training. MAILCOM is sponsored by Mail Systems Management Association and MAIL: The Journal of Communication Distribution.